A man who was beaten by a correction officer at the Rensselaer County jail three years ago has filed a federal lawsuit against the county alleging the physical assault followed years of unchecked civil rights violations at the facility, including sexual assaults, beatings and unlawful strip searches.

A member of Occupy Albany pleaded guilty Tuesday to a non-criminal violation stemming from his arrest during the group’s struggle with police in December, becoming the first person from the local arm of the global anti-corporate movement to agree to a plea deal.

A city councilman told jurors Tuesday he was concerned that Democratic Elections Commissioner Edward McDonough was allegedly filling out information on absentee ballots he gave him behind closed doors, but denied under cross-examination that he forged anything.